Tech Today: Apple planning iPod touch 3G, 1080p movies

Rumour: Apple to launch 3G iPod touch The iPod touch is already renowned as one of the best handheld gadgets on the planet, but if they added a 3G data connection into that badboy, would there be anything to touch it? The latest Apple rumour suggests the company is planning to add data-only 3G connectivity for web-browsing, gaming and cloud music.Link:9to5Mac

Apple to upgrade iTunes movie rentals to 1080p? Apple's hi-def movie offering is so far limited to 720p, but the company might be planning to test full HD 1080p downloads later this year, according to AppleInsider. Those regular 'people familiar with the matter' reckon that a selection of feature films will be added to the iTunes store later this year to test the feasibility.Link:AppleInsider

Final space shuttle mission blasts-off It's an emotional day at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the successful launch of the final mission of the three-decade-old NASA Space Program. The shuttle Atlantis set off for its final mission into orbit to bring supplies to the International Space Station on Friday morning. The future of the Agency remains uncertain.Link: USA Today

US ISPs to slow down illegal downloaders A host of the most popular American internet service providers and the key US movie and music industry regulators are planning a warning system to curb illegal downloads. The 'Copyright Alert' would give users six strikes against their name, and following that their download speed would be slowed.Link: TechRadar

"He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil" This one's a little off-topic for us, but a Star Wars story is always worth a mention, especially when it showcases outrageous meanness even Emperor Palpatine himself would be proud of. Yes, not satisfied with the kajillion dollars he makes from Star Wars fans every day, George Lucas has shut down a party for 100 people who wanted to gather together to watch all six movies in a row. Lucas' lawyers sent them a cease-and-desist letter explaining that public presentations of Star Wars were illegal.Link: BrooklynNY

News@8: Friday saw more rumours that an iPad 3 would be donned the iPad HD, while the Mac OS X Lion launch has been slated for next week, with MacBook Airs to follow. You can also learn about an iPhone 4 that combusted when a developer upgraded to iOS 5 in our daily News@8 round-up